In Bless Me Ultima, Tony is told by Ultima that the ways of men are strange and hard to learn. This is a theme that is suggested and is mostly applied and carried out by Tony as he goes through the novel, trying to learn to be a part of his family and community is some way. What Antonio must be learning at this point is that the ways of men are often violent and destructive, since at this point he's seen at least two people die horrible deaths.